Changing Tides
by purpleflame81
Summary: Choices have been made, and a new path has been chosen. The future they long for is within their reach, but with every step comes a more dangerous pitfall they must overcome. What will their choice be now that danger lurks ever closer? chapter 9 up. AC KL
1. Prologue

Summary: Life, like the tides, is constantly changing…He loved her, she loved him. Everything was perfect, like a dream…but all dreams end, and this one ended with his disappearance. And when he is finally able to return, nothing is as he left it… KXL AXC other pairings later…maybe…

A/n: I was just thinking about how unfair life could be and how, though you may have everything, you can still be unhappy…

Changing Tides

Prologue

_"I promise you, we will be together for all time." _

Lacus remembered those words clearly, as if he'd said them moments ago…but the painful truth was the fact that he'd been missing for nearly two years, and all she had to keep her hope alive was a letter that had been delivered to her earlier that day.

She ran a hand through her long pink locks and let a rare sigh escape her lips. She wasn't sure this letter was something to be believed – it could just be a trick by some of the more unscrupulous press – but then again, the handwriting looked like it was his – Kira's.

Tears started to fall as she remembered him – he'd been her world for the longest time – he still was. She refused to simply forget – what they'd had was too special, too important for that. Unfolding the letter again, she reread the cryptic message written on it:

Lacus,

Meet me at our favorite place in the park – you know where – at 7 tonight. Please?

P.S. Please don't tell anyone about me just yet; not even Cagalli.

Kira

Lacus stared at the letter absently, her thoughts drifting back to another, much happier time long ago – when Kira was still by her side…

FLASHBACK

_"It's beautiful, isn't it?" eighteen-year old Lacus Clyne asked, staring at the sunset._

_"Yeah...but you're much more beautiful." her boyfriend, Kira Yamato replied almost shyly._

_Lacus smiled at him then leaned up and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Kira."_

_Kira's amethyst eyes sparkled with rare mischief. "Is that all I get?"_

_Lacus looked up at him innocently. "Yes, what were you -"_

_Whatever she was about to say was lost as Kira's lips found hers in a sweet kiss that took her breath away._

_"Uh, eew? Can you guys please stop that?"_

_They turned to see a smiling Cagalli standing in front of them. Kira sighed. "Cagalli…"_

Back to the present

Lacus smiled sadly, the letter still clutched tightly in her hand. _"What do I do? What if this is a prank? Maybe I shouldn't go…but what if it's Kira? There's no way this handwriting isn't his…"_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a cheerful male voice. "Lacus! What are you doing out here all alone? You really should mingle with the guests, you know, it is your party, after all."

She quickly put the letter in her pocket and turned, plastering a bright smile on her face. This was something she had grown accustomed to doing. "Oh, hello, Athrun."

He grinned at her. "Everyone's been looking for you. They're missing the celebrant."

She blinked a few times. Oh yes, the party. It was to celebrate her new album's going platinum. "Then I shouldn't make them wait any longer, right?"

With that, she let Athrun escort her back inside.

A/n: End chapter… so, what do you think? Good, bad, crazy, corny…?


	2. Homecoming

Legend:

"Words"

_"Thoughts"_

Chapter One - Homecoming

It had been what, a year? He was twenty years old, but, like a kid wanting to get a piece of candy, he wanted to see Lacus. _His_ Lacus. He'd missed her terribly – and he wanted to see her as soon as possible…unfortunately, he needed to see her in secret – so he sent her a letter. He wasn't sure whether she would come or not, but he could always hope…

Lacus walked through the dimly lit streets in a dark blue jacket, pale blue t-shirt and jeans. She gripped the letter in her hand tightly, her heart filled with the same hope everyone had told her to let go of. Everyone, even Athrun and Cagalli told her to, but she couldn't. She loved him too much.

Stopping at the designated spot, she looked up at the big oak tree she and Kira had liked to sit under before. _"Kira…please let it be you…I miss you…"_

And, just like that, her wish was granted as she watched a figure slowly approach her. "Lacus…" that voice was unmistakable… _"Could it be…?_"

"Kira?"

He stepped out of the shadows and into the light. "Lacus. I've missed you."

Tears slowly fell from her eyes and made their way down her cheeks. "Kira…you – is that really you?"

He smiled softly, reaching for her hand and placing it on his face, just as she used to. "Do I pass?"

She broke down then, throwing her arms around him and burying her tear-streaked face into his chest, all the while saying, over and over, "You're back…"

"And I'm here to stay. I promise."

She looked up at him, a small, almost hesitant smile forming on her lips. "I'm going to hold you to that."

"I'll be happy to make good on it." he replied, smiling.

And then, "Kira…what happened to you? Where were you? Why did we have to meet like this?"

The smile slowly faded. "I…can't tell you just yet, Lacus."

She looked away, her suddenly rigid features hinting at the turbulent emotions fighting for attention inside her. Then, finally, "I won't force you to tell me if you don't want to, I'm just glad you're home." she whispered softly.

Kira wrapped his arms around her, his heart soaring at being able to hold her in his arms again. "I missed you so much…"

"As I did you."

SCENE CHANGE

Athrun Zala sat in his office, thinking of absolutely nothing and everything at the same time. Everyone else had left hours ago, but he didn't want to go home just yet – the place depressed him. There were simply too many memories there…memories of the way his life had been, how happy he'd been…with Kira, Lacus…_her._ "_Cagalli…we were happy together, weren't we? What happened to us? Kira's gone, Lacus is unhappy without him, and I'm…well, I don't even know how I am anymore."_

He sighed. His life was perfect on the outside: he was rich, being the sole heir to his father, Patrick Zala's multi-million dollar company, and he was handsome; with girls just waiting to jump at the chance of being with the 'famous' Athrun Zala…that is, if he deigned to give them any attention – which he never did.

In his opinion, his life was superficial – meaningless – and the only thing that was keeping him alive was the fact that he felt something for his still-missing best-friend's girlfriend. At least, he thought he did.

He was trying hard to make her happy, but she was still thinking about him and she still had that pain in her eyes from when Kira had first disappeared…he couldn't blame her, he supposed. Kira's love for her and her own love for him had been strong – practically unbreakable. Enviable, really.

Turning his chair towards the window, he looked at the stunning view without really seeing it. All he saw was his own reflection in the polished glass, and what he saw was a handsome young man who looked much older than he really was. At twenty, Athrun Zala had his whole life ahead of him, and yet he felt he didn't have much to look forward to…because his father had already mapped his future out for him…and if things remained as they were, it wasn't much of a future, at that.

SCENE CHANGE

_Lacus was sitting in the living room, composing a song for her and Kira when Cagalli came rushing into the room, breathless. "Lacus!"_

"_What is it, Cagalli?" she asked, worried._

_The look in her best-friend's eyes was like nothing she had ever seen before – and she would never forget it. The look in her eyes was a mixture of pain, horror, and disbelief. "Lacus…Kira…he – he's…"_

_Lacus' blue eyes widened. "Kira? What is it, Cagalli? What happened to Kira?"_

_Tears started to fall from her friend's eyes. "Kira…he's…dead."_

"_No!"_

"No!" she screamed, waking the person next to her.

Turning her towards him, Kira pulled her close and held her, running his hand up and down her back in slow, soothing strokes. "Shhh…it was just a dream…"

She buried her face in his shoulder, her tears wetting his shirt. "Kira…"

"What is it, Lacus?"

"I…had that dream again…it's always the same…Cagalli running into the house…telling me you're…you're…"

"I'm what?" he asked.

"You…that you're…dead…"

Kira's lavender eyes widened slightly. "Is that what happened when I went missing?"

"No…that's why it's so weird…it's never happened…but I just keep dreaming about it…I've been having that dream since you disappeared…"

"It's okay…I'm here now. It's going to be fine."

"I love you." she said suddenly.

He wiped her tears away with his hand and replied gently, "I love you, too."

"I don't ever want to lose you again, Kira."

"You won't. That's a promise."

She stayed in his embrace a little longer, inhaling his familiar scent. She'd missed him so much…she loved him so much… That was when she realized there was something she had to tell him. "Kira?"

"Yeah?"

"I…I have something to tell you. Something important."

Concerned, Kira pulled away slightly and waited for her to continue. "What is it, Lacus?"

Lacus turned away from him as she spoke. "Kira, I…I'm…"

"What is it?" he asked, wondering why she was so hesitant about this.

"I…I'm engaged…"

Kira stiffened. "What did you say?"

"I'm…engaged…"

"To who?"

She looked up at him. "I'm…engaged…to Athrun."

"Oh god, Lacus…"


	3. The Story Of Us

Chapter 2 – The Story of Us

Thank yous to:

Dark Pheo

chineigurl No, this isn't an AxL fic, it's KxL. (hehe, the smiley face wouldn't appear, so…)

A/n: Ok, third chapter! Hope you guys like this one. My friend read it, she told me it was really emotional…tell me what you guys think, k? Thank you!

Legend:

"words"

_"Thoughts" or memories_

Disclaimer: I forgot to include this earlier, so I'm posting it now. I do not own Gundam Seed or Destiny.

"Oh god, Lacus…" The look in his eyes was heartbreaking; and she could tell he was ready to jump up and scream.

Lacus' eyes never left Kira's as she started to explain. "You don't understand…it was all arranged. Athrun's father and mine agreed to it a long time ago. I tried to tell father I couldn't, wouldn't marry Athrun…that he is nothing more than a good friend to me…but father…died…before I could…"

Kira enveloped her in a hug again, inwardly chastising himself for doubting her. "I'm sorry…"

"You have nothing to be sorry for. It was my fault…I should have tried harder…"

"No…it was wrong of them to even think of making you marry someone you didn't love…but…what about Athrun? Is he okay with this? I mean, he and Cagalli are…"

Lacus shook her head, her eyes downcast. "Cagalli and Athrun…aren't…together anymore…"

Kira's eyes widened. "What do you mean? Why? Did Cagalli tell you?"

Lacus got a distant look in her eyes then. "No…I've wanted to ask Cagalli, but she just closes herself off as soon as I try to ask her about it…Athrun's pretty much the same; except he just smiles and changes the subject…and it's only gotten worse since our fathers arranged this stupid engagement and announced it to the world…"

Silence reigned.

Lacus turned to her boyfriend and quietly snuggled closer to him, her thoughts drifting to the state her father had unknowingly put her in… _"I want no part of that hoax…father made that decision without even talking to me; I will not sacrifice my own happiness to fulfill this duty! Father wouldn't have wanted that for me…"_

Kira pulled her even closer to him, his eyes focused on a crack in the paint. _"Athrun…Cagalli…I never thought…when I came back…I never thought things would change this much…I want to fix it…I want to free Lacus of this burden…I'm sure that's what she wants, too… but how do I do that? How do we fight against the wishes of someone like Patrick Zala?"_

Closing his eyes, Kira leaned back against the wall. He had returned, just as he'd wanted to do since his recovery…but everything was a mess. Everything.

Lying in that bed while he was recovering had been unbearable…he had wanted to jump out of that bed and run away…he'd tried it, in fact, but he hadn't recovered yet; so he failed miserably. Reverend Malchio, the man who'd saved him, was always there, though, and he was thankful for that…

He rested his cheek against Lacus' hair and sighed. It didn't matter. He was back now, and no matter what else had changed, he still had his most important person…Lacus.

SCENE CHANGE

Cagalli Yula Attha stood, clutching a cordless phone in one hand and her cell phone in the other as she listened to Lacus explain why she wasn't home yet. "Where are you? I've been worried sick! I thought something happened to you! Mana told me you'd gone out…where did you go? When are you planning to come back?"

She heard Lacus laugh at the other end of the line. "I'm sorry, Cagalli, but I can't tell you yet. I just called to assure you that I'm alright, and I'll be home soon. Ok? See you soon! Bye!" With that, the line went dead.

"Miss Cagalli? Was that Miss Lacus? Did she tell you where she is?" Kisaka asked from the other line.

Cagalli sighed. "Yes, that was Lacus. She called to tell me she's fine and she'll be home soon. She didn't tell me where she is, though, but I'll get it out of her as soon as she comes home."

She heard Kisaka muffle a laugh. "Certainly, Miss Cagalli. So I assume you want us to stop looking for her now?"

"Yes, thank you, Kisaka. I'm sorry for the trouble."

"Not at all. Good night."

"Good night. Then she pressed the end call button, ending the conversation. "Was it me…or did Lacus sound…happy?" she said out loud to no one in particular.

Turning to her right, she caught sight of something lying facedown on her nightstand. It was a picture frame made of crystal that Athrun had given her for their third-year anniversary, and in it was a picture of her nineteen year old self smiling carelessly at the camera…with an equally happy-looking Athrun by her side. It seemed so long ago, but it had barely even been a year…

Running a hand over the fragile picture frame, her amber eyes filled with tears as the memory of that day, as well as the events that unfolded after that, replayed themselves in her mind. First, Kira had gotten into an accident while on the way home from school and disappeared. Second, her father's plane malfunctioned in mid-air and crashed, killing everyone on board as well as killing any hope of a normal life for her…and then…_that_ happened. She broke up with Athrun.

That had been hard. Possibly the hardest thing she would ever have to do in her life…she had never wanted to do it, but she'd been young and vulnerable…hell, she was still young and vulnerable… (she would never admit that in public,

though) but she knew better now; certainly more than she'd known then.

Pushing open the heavy glass doors that led to her balcony, she leaned against the stone wall and looked up at the star-filled night sky, her heart trembling with regret. She wrapped her arms around herself, as if she were trying to shield herself from the painful memory of that day…the day she'd lied to her only love and pushed him away…

Flashback

_"I…I can't be with you anymore, Athrun. It's over."_

_Nineteen year old Athrun Zala stared, wide-eyed at his girlfriend, his usually calm expression replaced by one of sheer hurt and disbelief. "Wha – What do you mean? What are you trying to say, Cagalli?"_

_"I'm saying I don't love you anymore, Athrun."_

_His emerald green eyes clouded with unshed tears, and his fists were clenched so hard they hurt. "You – you c-can't mean that…"_

_She looked coldly at him, her honey-colored eyes glittering in the sunlight. "Oh but I do mean it."_

_His eyes searched hers, desperately trying to find some trace of the Cagalli he knew in them, but he found none. All he could see in those eyes were indifference and a small amount of what looked like pity._

_He slowly backed away from her, the pain she'd just inflicted on his heart flickering in his eyes. "I…was it all a lie, Cagalli? Was what we had a lie? How could you just stand there like that after all we've been through and tell me you don't care! How, Cagalli?" He practically screamed those questions at her._

_She didn't answer._

_Taking a step toward her, Athrun yelled, "Answer me!"_

_Cagalli simply looked away, unwilling to give away the pain that mirrored his in her own eyes. "I'm sorry."_

_"Is that all you can say?" he asked quietly, the calm in his voice betrayed by the obvious resentment written clearly in his expression._

_Again, the normally talkative Cagalli could only look away. _

_Frustrated by her continued silence, Athrun turned away, muttering a barely audible "Good-bye." to her, walked briskly to his car, then drove off, leaving his now former girlfriend to wallow in her already unbearable regret._

_"I'm sorry, Athrun…for what it's worth, I'm sorry…Oh god, what have I done…?"_

End of flashback

Cagalli's eyes filled with tears at the sad memory, and her heart felt like it was being torn up inside. She could've fought for what they had, but she didn't. She could've confided in him, but she hadn't. She'd been hurt and confused because she had just lost the man she'd known and loved as father at that time, and it hadn't been long after her only brother had disappeared, she reasoned, but still, deep inside, she knew that was no excuse. She should've trusted Athrun.

_"I had a reason…a good one, but it was a mistake to push him away…"_

Cagalli ran a hand through her already tousled blond hair and closed her eyes. That man may have threatened her and took advantage of her weakness, but _she_ had been the one who decided to meekly do as she was told. _She _was the one who told Athrun she didn't love him anymore, and she had also been the one who stood by and let him slip away completely...She looked up at the sky one last time before slipping back through the double doors that led to her bedroom, and whispered quietly, "Goodnight, Athrun. Wherever you are."

SCENE CHANGE

After ending the call, Lacus lay back down on the bed and rested her head on Kira's chest. "What did she say?" he asked.

"The usual. Where are you-when are you coming home kind of thing." Lacus replied.

Kira laughed. "Cagalli's gotten to be quite the mother hen, hasn't she?"

Lacus grinned. "Yes. She means well, though."

He agreed. "Looks like my 'older' twin has done some growing up."

"Yes. She acts very like an older sister now," she replied as she stood up, walked over to the window and pressed a hand against the cool glass.

Kira followed, wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, and felt her wrap her own arms around his. "Kira…"

"Hmmm?"

"What…happened…to you?"

His eyes clouded at the memory her question brought up as he felt her turn in his arms and gently touched his cheek in a very familiar gesture. "Kira? I'm sorry if this is awkward, but…"

"It's okay. You have a right to know." He pulled away from her and stared out the window as he began to tell her about what happened, from the accident to his being rescued by Reverend Malchio and treated for his rather severe injuries, being unconscious for the good part of six months, as well as the rehabilitation process he'd had to endure.

But…why didn't you come back sooner?"

He looked away a bit guiltily. "I…forgot…about you. All of you…"

"Amnesia?"

He nodded.

She drew herself closer to him and took his hand in hers, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry." she whispered softly.

He turned to her. "It's alright. I wanted to tell you…I just…I might be putting you in danger by telling you all this…"

She turned fully and faced him. "What do you mean? Am I in danger?"

He smiled sadly. "I don't know. All I thought when I got back was that I wanted to see you…but the possibility of you being put in danger because of me was scary, so I arranged to meet with you in secret."

She smiled at him. "It doesn't matter if I am in danger. You're here; that's all that matters."

"Lacus…"

"You're the most important person in the world to me. You know that, right?"

He smiled. "I know. You have the same distinction with me."

Then, "Kira…would it be possible for me to meet with Reverend Malchio?"

He shot her a questioning look. "Why?"

"I want to thank him…for saving you." _"In saving you, he saved me, as well…"_

He thought about it for a bit, then he answered, "…Alright, but it's going to be a long trip."

"I love long trips." Lacus replied, giving him a cute smile.

He smiled back. "Let's go see Cagalli first, though, okay?"

Lacus nodded.

A moment later, Kira pretended to yawn.

She gave him a look and laughed. "That is so obviously fake…"

He grinned mischievously. "Oh, it is, is it?"

"It is!" she laughed as he started to reach for her.

She sidestepped him and they ended up chasing each other around the room, laughing and joking around like five-year-olds…that is, until he caught up to her.

"Gotcha." he said, his lavender eyes still shining with laughter.

She turned to him, her melodious laughter still lingering in the air. "Ok! Ok! You got me!"

"Do I?" he asked softly, his breath warm on her ear.

Her laughter faded and her voice lowered to match his as she turned to him, her face now a mere inch from his. "You always have."

Slowly, almost tentatively, they inched closer to each other until their lips met halfway. It was a gentle, almost shy kiss at first, but passion quickly took over, and they deepened it.

When they finally broke apart for air, Lacus smiled. "That was nice."

Kira blushed. "Lacus…"

Next Morning

Lacus was awakened that morning by the sound of her mobile phone ringing. Opening her eyes, she looked around her and found, to her delight, that Kira was beside her, smiling. "Hey sleepyhead." he said.

She smiled back. "Hey yourself." she replied, leaning forward and planting a chaste kiss on his lips before turning to her side and answering the call.

"Hello?"

"Lacus! Where are you? When are you planning on coming home?" Cagalli asked from the other end, her voice loud enough for even Kira to hear.

"Eh….I…erm…"

"Lacus?" It was Kira.

Turning around to face him, she mouthed, "Cagalli is mad at me."

"_Uh oh. That's not good…" _he thought as he watched his girlfriend try to soothe his sister's temper.

"No…I didn't forget…I'll be home in an hour or two, alright?" Lacus said, her voice calm as always.

He heard Cagalli reluctantly agree followed by a soft click as the call ended. "Lacus? Is everything alright?" he asked, concerned.

She smiled. "Yes…but she isn't very happy because she's my manager and, I, well, forgot that I have an interview scheduled for today…to promote my new song and to invite people to see the concert next week…"

"Oh… I guess you…have to go then, huh?" he mumbled, disappointment written on his face. As selfish as it might be, he'd wanted to have her to himself today.

She tucked her face into the curve between his jaw and shoulder and said, "You could always come with me."

His face immediately lit up with childlike joy. "Really?"

She laughed softly. "Of course. You are my boyfriend, after all; and besides…I'd be much happier knowing you're there with me."

"Let's go then." he said, suddenly very energetic.

She nodded. "We have to stop by the house first, though. Cagalli will be there."

"Alright. It'd be like hitting two birds with one stone then."

Lacus agreed. Getting up, Lacus walked to the bathroom, took a quick shower and emerged looking fresh and pretty, not a sign of being slept in on her immaculate outfit.

Kira used the bathroom next, and after they were both done, Lacus asked, "Ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Kira answered.

Attha Mansion

Cagalli looked at her watch for what felt like the millionth time and looked at the clock. It was half past twelve already. Just where was Lacus?

Moments later, she heard muffled voices and Lacus' clear, musical laughter echo through the hallway as she waited for her errant friend to show herself. As she watched, the door opened to reveal Lacus, and…a man who looked vaguely familiar… Her heart started beating faster as she realized who he was. _"Could it be…?"_

She approached him slowly, hesitantly, her hand unconsciously stretched out towards him. "K-Kira…?"

a/n: Ok…I'll finish with this chapter with a little cliffie... (if you can call it that, hehe) So, what do you guys think? Good, bad, boring…? R&R please?


	4. Savior?

A/n: Chapter 3! I started this one even before finishing chapter 2, that's a personal record! (Don't mind me, I'm just being silly)

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or Destiny

Chapter 3 – Savior?

"K-Kira…?"

He smiled. "Hey."

Cagalli ran towards her brother, a wide grin on her face. "Kira!" she yelled, enveloping her startled twin in a bear hug.

After a while, Kira started flailing wildly, his face practically blue. "Ca-Cagalli…! You – you're c-choking me!"

Lacus started to giggle as Cagalli finally noticed that her brother was running out of air and let him go. "I'm so glad you're home!" she said, her amber eyes glowing with delight.

"Y-yeah…I can see that." Kira said.

Cagalli pouted. "Well? Aren't you going to say anything? Y'know, something along the lines of 'It's nice to see you, Cagalli'…"

Kira bit back a smile as he complied with his sister's 'request'. "Y-yeah…It's nice to see you again, Cagalli."

"Is that all you can say? Aren't you going to tell me where you've been this past year and a half?"

"It's a long story, Cagalli. I'll tell you later; I don't really want to think about that right now."

His sister shrugged. "If that's what you want."

Smiling, he pulled her close for a nice, brotherly hug. "Thanks, sis."

She grinned. "I really am glad you're back, you know."

He nodded. "I know. I'm happy to be back."

Just then, Lacus gestured to Kira and Cagalli, telling her she was going to leave them alone for awhile, and both nodded. "Oh, the interview's at one-thirty…you need time to get ready? Cagalli asked.

The songstress nodded. "Give me ten minutes."

She nodded. "Alright."

After her best-friend left, Cagalli started questioning her twin. "So, how are you?"

"I'm okay, I guess."

"So…I assume you and Lacus are together?"

Kira nodded.

Cagalli decided to get to the heart of the matter. "I'm sure she's told you about -"

"I know." Kira interrupted.

"So…what do you plan to do about it?"

"I don't know, actually. I'm going to have to talk to her about that."

"It's not going to be easy, you know. Athrun's father is a very influential man."

He let out a tired sigh. "I know…But…what if we just tried to talk to him? I'm sure he'll understand…"

"You could try." his blond-haired twin stated flatly.

"Well _that's_ encouraging." Kira said sarcastically.

"It's just…Patrick Zala can be a difficult man to deal with…especially with that weird masked guy beside him all the time…and they agreed to that thing in principle when Athrun and Lacus were still in diapers, and it was his wife's – Athrun's mom's – dearest wish, apparently. You know how much his dad cares about fulfilling his late wife's wishes.

"What was Mr. Clyne's reason? Do you know?"

"It must've been the same thing, more or less, but I think it was also because he knew Athrun would take care of her."

"But…you and Athrun…"

"We weren't together anymore…and I think…they thought both Athrun and Lacus had recovered enough…so they finalized it."

"It's still wrong."

"…I know."

He buried his head in his hands in frustration. "What can we do?"

"I don't know…"

They were quiet for a second, but then Kira asked, "How about Athrun? Is he okay with all this?"

Cagalli's expression became sad at the mention of her ex-boyfriend's name, but she answered the question anyway. "I don't know. He doesn't seem too disturbed by it, though…"

Kira frowned. "You haven't talked to him lately, have you?"

"…No. Fact is, I haven't talked to him in practically a year."

"Why?"

"It was too hard. After the way I broke up with him, I…" she trailed off, her amber eyes downcast.

"…Why _did_ you break it off with him?"

She looked away. "…I'd rather not talk about it…"

"It was because of Seiran, wasn't it?"

Her eyes widened. "How did you know?"

He shrugged. "It was pretty obvious."

"Well, then, since you already know, why are you asking me?"

"I want you to tell me why you let them get to you."

"As you know, Senator Seiran is an immensely powerful man, and they can get whatever they want…Yuna apparently insisted that I be made his fiancée…so his father threatened to shut down my dad's company to get me to agree. I couldn't find another way out at the time, so…"

"That stupid, purple-haired freak…he can't just say he wants you and expect to have you like you're a – a _thing_!"

"Tell that to Yuna. He thinks he can have anything he wants."

"Do you plan to go through with this so-called engagement?"

"Of course not."

"What about Athrun? Does he know?"

"No…He doesn't."

"Aren't you going to tell him?"

"I can't…You don't understand, Kira…I – I told him I didn't love him!"

Kira's amethyst eyes widened. "What…? Why would you say that?"

"… Because I had to. They also threatened to kill Athrun…and it was the only way I could think of to get him out of harm's way."

"By breaking his heart?"

"It's better than putting him in danger like that!"

Kira sighed. "…You're right. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. He's your best-friend. You don't want him to get hurt."

"Yeah…but I was actually more worried about it hurting _you._"

Cagalli smiled at her brother. "Thanks, but I'm okay now."

Kira secretly disagreed, but he smiled back at her and nodded.

Just then, the door opened and a smiling Lacus walked into the room.

Having just wrapped up her conversation with her brother, Cagalli looked at her watch again. "We need to go."

Both Lacus and Kira nodded.

Later…

The day flew by in a flurry of activities, and by the time it was all over, Lacus looked ready to drop. "You tired?" Cagalli asked as they sat in the limousine on their way home.

Her friend gave a tired smile. "A little."

Kira pulled her close and she rested her head on his shoulder. "You work too hard." he said.

Lacus smiled sleepily. "It's okay. I love to sing."

Kira smiled at her. "You always did. And you do a great job of it."

She blushed. "Thank you, Kira."

Cagalli watched her brother and best-friend have their little conversation and couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. They looked so happy together…

Her thoughts wandered into forbidden territory then as she remembered _him_ again. She almost hated herself for still feeling this way, but she couldn't help it. He'd been such an essential part of her life for so long, it was nearly impossible for her to simply forget…

"Cagalli?" Kira said, waving a hand in front of his sister's face.

She blinked a few times. "What?"

"We're here."

"Oh."

"Are you okay?" Lacus asked, concerned.

She shook off the last of the lingering memories and smiled at her friend. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Both Lacus and Kira were casting worried glances at her but she hardly noticed as they stepped out of the car and went into the house. "Do you mind if I leave you guys alone for a while? I have some work to do…" she said.

They shook their heads.

"Okay. I'll see you at dinner then."

They nodded.

As soon as Cagalli was out of sight, Lacus turned to Kira, a troubled look in her eyes. "I'm worried about her…"

He nodded. "I know. I'm worried, too…"

Lacus bit her lip. There had to be _something _they could do…

"Have you talked to Athrun lately?" Kira asked suddenly.

"Yes. I talked to him yesterday."

"Did he seem okay to you?"

"Yes, but…he's changed quite a bit."

He glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

"He…well, he's always…cheerful. He just…he never seems to be concerned about anything. He just lets his father decide everything for him. It's almost like he doesn't…_care_…"

Kira's brow furrowed at that. It wasn't like Athrun to be like that at all… "Hey, Lacus…"

"Yes?"

"What if we got Athrun and Cagalli to talk? I mean _really _talk…"

"You mean face to face?"

"Yeah…"

"That would be great…except they avoid each other like the plague…" She looked up at him. "But…maybe we could set them up…"

"You mean like _they_ used to do to _us_?"

She giggled. "Sort of."

"What did you have in mind?" he asked.

"Here's what we could do…"

Next Day

"Ready?" Kira called to Lacus through the bathroom door.

"Just about," she replied.

They had decided to take a short trip to the mountains to get some well-deserved rest for Lacus, and they had invited Cagalli to go on the trip with them. Unbeknownst to her, Kira and Lacus had also invited Athrun, who also didn't know that Cagalli would be coming.

A few minutes later, the pink-haired songstress emerged from the bathroom wearing a pale pink sundress and matching heels. A lavender jacket was draped over one arm and her long hair was tied up in a neat ponytail. Kira's eyes practically bulged out of their sockets when he saw her, but despite the warm blush on his cheeks, he managed a soft, "You look great, Lacus."

She smiled and whispered a quiet "Thank you." followed by a kiss on the cheek.

He started to blush even harder, and, as luck would have it, that was when Cagalli decided to walk in wearing a dark blue sweatshirt over a green tank top, jeans, and her favorite pair of sneakers.

Cagalli noted the blush on her brother's face and grinned, poking the still-blushing Kira in the ribs. "You do realize your face looks like an overripe tomato right now, don't you?"

Kira glared at his sister. "Knock it off, Cagalli!"

His twin just laughed and turned to her best-friend. "You look great, by the way."

Lacus smiled in return. "Thanks."

Cagalli clapped her hands excitedly. "Alright, let's go! I've been itching to get a vacation like this for months!"

As the blond-haired princess went on her way, Lacus shot a worried glance at Kira. "Think this will work?"

He smiled reassuringly at her. "It'll be fine."

Hours Later

Cagalli stepped out of the car and stretched, her amber eyes taking in the sights and sounds of the remote mountain hideaway her brother and best-friend had chosen.

It was a beautiful place. The wooden house was hidden from view by tall trees and it sat next to a cliff which provided a splendid view of the setting sun behind the house. The fresh air felt cool on her face and she was already starting to relax. She had a feeling this was going to be a great holiday.

"You like it?" Lacus asked, walking up to her.

She grinned. "You bet."

"Good, because I want you to get some rest on this trip too. You seriously need it."

"I guess."

"Hey! Isn't anyone going to help me?" Kira asked, his arms loaded with luggage, most of them Lacus'.

Cagalli and Lacus turned, took one look at him and started laughing.

Kira put on a hurt expression. "Hey…!"

Feeling a little guilty for making him carry all their bags himself, Lacus walked over to Kira and took a couple of packages out of his hands. "Thanks," he said, smiling at his pink-haired girlfriend.

"You're welcome," Lacus replied.

While Lacus and Kira headed into the house with their things, Cagalli used the time to explore a little bit. She walked a short distance from the house and found a small stream. Sitting down, she dipped a hand into the cool water, her eyes trained on the bright blue sky. Closing her eyes, she started to lay back down on a rock by the bank, when she heard a low growl just behind her.

Slowly, she turned around…and came face to face with a gray-backed wolf, its fangs bared, poised to strike.

"Damn it," she hissed, realizing too late just how careless she'd been. And, as the menacing animal began to approach her, she looked around her for something to use as a weapon, but there was nothing. It was then that she heard someone call her name, making her potential attacker turn in the opposite direction.

Turning in the direction of the voice, Cagalli turned…and saw an achingly familiar figure standing right beside her, breathing hard.

Her eyes started to fill with tears. "Athrun…"

"Cagalli." he muttered, his eyes scanning the area for something he could use as a weapon to try and drive the animal away. Bending down slowly, he picked up a rock, ready to throw it at the wolf, when another growl, this one coming from the bushes just beside him, stopped him cold.

"Shit," he said under his breath, watching as the second wolf, this one pure white, emerged from its hiding place.

Carefully, so as to not to startle their would-be attackers, he stepped in front of her, shielding her with his body.

"Athrun." she called, her voice laced with alarm, "why are you doing this?"

"Because I don't want you to get hurt."

"…Why?"

"I just don't. Let's leave it at that for now, okay? We have to get out of here."

She nodded numbly. "What now?"

"Take my hand."

And she did.

A/n: Okie…that's it for chapter 3…so, what do you guys think? Good, bad, corny, crappy, silly…?


	5. The Vision He Saw

To my reviewers:

chineigurl – Thank you! And I'll try. :D

Maryam Kanoom – I'm glad you do. Thank you!

a/n: Ok, chapter 4! I hope you guys like this one…

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or Destiny… :-(

Chapter 4 – The Vision He Saw

Athrun felt Cagalli put her hand in his, and memories started to flood back into his brain, making him wince unconsciously. Just then, the white wolf started advancing towards them again, followed by the gray-backed one. Shaking his head to free it of the memories, he tightened his grip on Cagalli's hand and ran, pulling her along.

They heard the irate animals give chase, and started to run faster…and that was when Cagalli tripped on a protruding rock, making her stumble. "Damn," she muttered, the pain in her ankle making involuntary tears flow from her eyes. "I think I sprained my ankle," she told him.

The sound of wolves barking became closer, so Athrun picked her up and helped her up a high tree, praying help would come soon. They couldn't stay up here forever, after all.

It was then that his companion decided to speak. "…Why are you here, Athrun?"

He didn't look at her when he answered. "Lacus invited me."

Her eyes widened. Lacus did…?

"I see."

"Look, I'm sorry, but I didn't know you would be here. The message was delivered to me via her secretary.

"It's alright." _That _made him look at her. She looked pale, there were dark circles under her eyes, and she looked ready to drop. "But…how did you find me?"

He turned away. "I followed you."

"What? Why?"

"I wasn't sure it was really you. I thought…you were a mirage. I wanted to see if you were real…"

She laid her head down on her crossed arms and said nothing.

And then, "What happened to us, Cagalli? We were happy, weren't we?"

"…Yes. We were very happy."

Then why? Why did it have to end?"

"…I don't -"

"Don't you dare tell me you don't know!" he warned. Frustration laced his voice, and his eyes flashed with jade fire.

She looked up at him, her amber eyes filled with pain. "Do you really want to know?"

The set of his jaw told her he did.

"Fine. It's because Yuna wants me to marry him and his father is threatening to destroy everything my father built to get me to agree. There. You happy now?"

Looking up at him, she half expected him to look hurt, or even angry, but what she saw in his eyes was simple disappointment and just a little bit of resentment. "So that's all I really meant to you…" _"I thought I meant a little more to you…at least as much as **you **havealways meant to me…"_

She opened her mouth to ask him what he meant by that when she heard someone call her name.

"Cagalli! Where are you?" It was Kira's voice.

Athrun looked confused. "Was that…Kira?"

"Yeah. He's back." she replied before she shouted back to let her brother know where they were.

Moments later, Athrun came face to face with someone he thought he'd never see again…his long-lost best-friend, Kira Yamato.

"Kira…" he whispered, shocked.

"Hey, Athrun." Kira said.

"Where's Lacus?" Cagalli inquired of her brother.

"I'm right here," the songstress replied, emerging from the bushes just behind Kira.

"What were you doing hiding?" her best-friend asked.

"Kira asked me to. He insisted on it, as a matter of fact." she replied, walking over to stand by her lover's side.

"Lacus…" Athrun muttered.

She smiled at him. "Oh, hello, Athrun."

He stared at her. It made sense now…why Lacus would invite him anywhere, why Cagalli was here…She wanted him and Cagalli to make peace with each other, and now that Kira was back… His emotions rioted within him at the thought.

He was more than a little happy that his best-friend had returned, but he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do or feel about everything else. He cared for Lacus, that was undeniable, but to what extent he did was the bigger question. He felt…confused, indecisive…

Seeing and talking to Cagalli again had conjured up a lot of buried feelings, and he knew he needed to re-examine them now. Did he still love her? He shouldn't, right? After all, she'd given him up for her father's company…but he could understand that. Her father meant a lot to her, and the company meant a lot to her father…

And then there was Lacus, his supposed fiancée. He wasn't sure if he should fight Kira for her or if he should just let them be. He wasn't even sure he loved her that way at all…But why was he so jealous of Kira?

He was so caught up in his thoughts he hadn't noticed that Kira had already helped Cagalli come down from the tree, and that his best-friend had been calling his name. "Athrun!" Kira yelled for the tenth time.

Athrun blinked. "Huh?"

"Aren't you going to come down from there?"

"Oh, right…" he said, and he came down from his perch. Turning, his emerald eyes met a pair of amethyst ones.

"Athrun."

"Kira."

His friend smiled at him. "How have you been?"

"I've been okay, I guess." He looked away. "How long have you been back?"

"About two days now."

"Oh. Welcome back."

"It's good to be back."

"Where's Lacus?" he asked suddenly.

Kira's lavender eyes narrowed. "She's with Cagalli." he replied, tilting his head in the direction of the bushes.

"I see."  
"Lacus told me about it."

"Huh? About what?"

"The engagement."

"Oh, that."

"What do you plan to do, Athrun?"

The blue-haired man sighed. "I don't know."

"Kira?" Lacus called.

"Yeah?"

"Could you come here a moment?"

"Excuse me," Kira said to Athrun, and then he turned and walked over to where the girls were.

Left alone, Athrun found himself thinking about the situation again. He couldn't decide what he was supposed to do…and it was clear that Kira and Lacus were a couple again.

He sighed. This wasn't what he expected. He thought for sure he was over Cagalli, but, judging from the way his heart rate sped up at seeing her, he knew he had more than a few issues with that, too.

For the second time that day, his thoughts were interrupted when Kira approached him. "We need to get back. Cagalli's ankle is starting to swell pretty badly." he said.

Athrun nodded.

Kira reached out to his sister. "Here. Let me help you,"

His twin looked at him and smiled. "It's alright. I can handle myself."

"But - "

"I'm fine, Kira. Really."

Her brother decided to not argue any more so he let his arms hang at his sides and started to follow in her wake. Athrun hung back, his thoughts still centered on his feelings, when he heard a commotion from just behind them, one that none of the others heard because Kira, being the concerned brother that he was, had reversed his earlier decision and was asking Cagalli to let them help her so they'd be able to get back to the house faster and her ankle could be treated…and the princess would have none of it.

When he heard the noise again, he tried to yell out a warning, but it was too late. The wolves who'd tried to attack him and Cagalli earlier were back, and the white one was already charging towards his friends.

Without another thought, he jumped forward screaming, "Cagalli!" and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her to safety.

After the wolves had gone again, Cagalli looked up at Athrun from her position in his arms. His eyes were shut tightly, and he was holding her so close she could barely breathe. "Athrun, it's okay. You can let me go now."

He shook his head at her.

"But, Athrun, the wolves are gone. We -"

"I won't let you go. I can't…"

"What are you talking about?"

But she already knew. "Athrun…"

"I love you, Cagalli."

a/n: ok, a little cliffie here…I know it's short but please tell me what you guys think…good, bad, stupid, silly…ok? Thanks.


	6. What It Means To Dream

A/n: Chapter 5! Please read and review? Arigato gozaimasu!"

Thank yous:

Aikoo – Thanks for reviewing. Well, technically Athrun is with Lacus, but Lacus is actually with Kira and Athrun will eventually be with Cagalli…: D Oh, and about that passionate scene? It'll likely come at a slightly later chapter…

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or Destiny.

Chapter 5 – What It Means To Dream

"_What is it that you really want? To dream? To go back in time? It's foolish, isn't it?"_

Athrun Zala stood on the porch of the rented house with his eyes closed, thinking. He knew what he'd told Cagalli this afternoon had shocked her, and her avoiding him since their return from the doctor confirmed as much.

"_Why'd I have to tell her I loved her anyway?" _

"_Because you do, idiot." _a voice in his head answered.

"_It's just so hard…she's so hard to reach…"_

He sighed and turned to go back inside…and found himself face to face with his own 'fiancée', Lacus Clyne.

"Lacus." he whispered.

She smiled. "Athrun."

"You're up late."

"I wanted to speak with you."

"Oh. About what?"

"Everything."

"You mean about Kira and Cagalli."

"Yes."

"What is there left to say, Lacus? We both know where our fortunes lie."

"True…"

Athrun leaned against the wooden banister and stared out at the darkness. "...What are we, Lacus?" he asked, completely discrediting his previous statement.

Lacus looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I mean _what are we_?"

"We are friends." she replied.

"Are we?"

She nodded.

"Thank you for that. But…what am I supposed to do…? Cagalli is…" he trailed off.

"Just follow your heart, Athrun. That's the best thing."

"Lacus, my father -"

"Your father does not own your life. You have the right – no, _duty_ to do what you think is right for you. You're the only one who can do that."

He smiled softly. "Like you followed _your_ heart…all the way back to Kira."

"What did you expect? I love him."

He turned away from her then. "I used to know what that felt like…to be so dedicated to someone…to love someone that much…but they let you down…" he said in a barely audible whisper.

Lacus heard him though. "You still do. Despite everything, I know you still love her, Athrun."

"That's just it. I don't understand why I still do…"

"Sometimes you just can't apply reason to things like that."

"I guess…"

"Listen, I want you to think about what you really want for yourself. Don't think about what your father wants, because I don't want that future and I know you don't either. When the time comes, Athrun, you'll need to fight for what you feel – she will not return to you without a fight."

As she started to walk away, Athrun asked quietly, "Was I only ever a friend to you, Lacus?"

The question surprised her, but she did not hesitate when she replied, "There was a time, a long, long time ago when I would've hesitated and told you I wasn't sure, but that time has long since passed. You are, and you always have been a very good friend to me."

"You really do love him, don't you." It was a statement she agreed with completely.

"Yes. He means everything to me, and my future belongs with him. I want it to."

He smiled. "It feels great, doesn't it? Having him back?"

She nodded. "I feel like I don't have to pretend anymore; and making decisions seem to become so much easier somehow…"

"He's come a long way, hasn't he?" Athrun remarked.

Lacus agreed. "The person he is now is a far cry from the shy, blushing boy I met that day…"

Athrun nodded. "He was so nervous, and he was so worried he'd do the wrong thing…but everything went well in the end."

She grinned. "He made quite an impression on me."

He remembered the event very well, and the memory elicited a laugh from the normally serious Athrun. "Yeah. He was so flustered, and he was blushing so hard I thought he'd spontaneously combust!"

She laughed as well. "Yes, but I was blushing, too, so I'm not one to talk. Besides, you were the same way when you met Cagalli."

"I suppose…But I realized something."

"What?"

"I'm jealous…of Kira."

"…Why would…?"

"Because he has you. He has your love; he always has, and he knows it. I'd give anything to have that kind of assurance again…"

"She loves you, Athrun. You don't need to question that."

"If that's true, why would she tell me she didn't?"

"She has a good reason."

"What reason is that?"

"You should be asking her that question, not me."

"She told me it was because of her father's company."

Lacus frowned, shrugged, and said quietly, "If you believe that, you don't deserve her."

And she was gone.

SCENE CHANGE

Lacus walked into the room she shared with Kira, sat down on the edge of the bed, and watched him sleep. He looked so peaceful… Reaching out, she brushed a stray lock of hair away from his eyes and gently ran her hand along the side of his face, whispering, "If I told you I hated you, would you stop loving me?"

She didn't really expect an answer, so it came as a surprise when Kira opened his eyes and replied, "No, I wouldn't stop. It's not something that can be helped…I couldn't stop, not even if I wanted to."

She smiled. "Thank you."

He sat up and pulled her close. "Where were you?"

"On the porch. With Athrun."

He frowned, his jealous side once again rearing its ugly head. "What were you doing out there with him?"

"We talked."

"About what?"

"Cagalli…you."

"Me? What about?"

"He told me he was jealous of you…because you are assured of my feelings for you, and he isn't about Cagalli's for him."

"So it's true. He is still in love with her."

"Yes. He said as much this afternoon, remember?"

Kira nodded, and then, straying a little from the topic, he said, "I wasn't always sure…"

"Hmmm?"

"I wasn't always sure…of your feelings for me."

Lacus looked up at him, a surprised look in her eyes. "You weren't?"

"…No. To be honest, I used to really envy Athrun."

"Why?"

"Because he was so close to you."

"That's silly."

"It sounds stupid now, but back then…I mean, Athrun was king at our school, and I was the new kid. The new kid who had a crush on the prom queen…"

"The prom queen who had a crush on _you_." she said softly.

"I didn't know that."

"Do you know what I thought the first time I saw you?"

"No, what?"

"I thought you were like the first breath of spring…refreshing, peaceful…"

He laid his cheek against her soft pink hair and said, very softly, "I thought you looked like an angel."

"I'm glad you're back…I don't know how many times I've told you that, but I am."

"I know, angel. I know."

SCENE CHANGE

Athrun was lying on his back in the darkness of his room, staring at the ceiling. He still didn't know what he was supposed to do about a lot of other things, but he believed Lacus when she told him it was his choice. He'd let his father decide for him long enough; it was time he took control of his life again.

"_You need to lighten up, Athrun. You're so stiff! You should live more! Go out, enjoy. I mean, we aren't going to be young forever, you know?" _Cagalli's words. She was so different from him, so…carefree. She didn't really think too much about what other people thought of her, and that was one of the many things he found so attractive about her.

Unfortunately, that beautiful, carefree girl he'd once known didn't seem to exist anymore. Cagalli had changed, and she… _"She loves you, Athrun. You don't need to question that."_

"Lacus…" he muttered, remembering the last words she'd left him with to ponder that night. _"If you believe that, you don't deserve her."_

"Maybe…maybe I _don't _deserve her…" he said quietly, and with that last, painful thought, Athrun drifted off into a shallow, nightmare-filled sleep.

SCENE CHANGE

In another room, Cagalli Yula Attha tossed and turned, but she just couldn't sleep. Athrun's words kept echoing in her mind, and her resistance was weakening. She knew she had to keep the truth from him to protect him, but her feelings for him made her want to tell him everything and let him hold her again…

"_I love you, Cagalli."_ Such simple words…

"Why, Athrun? Why do you still love me…? After all I've said to you…Why?" she asked the empty room, fresh tears escaping from her closed eyes and making their way down the side of her face.

"_I still love him, too…"_

a/n: Oki, chapter 5 done! Hope you guys like it…R&R, please? Thank you!


	7. Broken Chains, New Beginnings

a/n: Okie, chapter six…(finally) I really couldn't figure out how exactly to end this one, and I've worked at least a month on it, since before the break, but there were a couple of factors…well, anyway, please do read on, and maybe leave a review or two…? Thanks.

To My Reviewers:

Maryam Khanoom – Thanks for the review – and they're together now. (Spoiler…)

ll innocence ll – I'm glad you like it – and I made this chapter as long as I could. (smile) the smiley faces just refuse to show!

FreedonElf – Thanks. I don't know, really. I guess it's because I like to while the hours away with my head in the clouds… (which gets me in trouble more often than not!)

WillTheWatcher – Thank you for writing such a long review, and I really hope you like this chapter as well… -) (the smiley face might not show up again, but I typed it in)

fantasydestiny – Athrun will confront his father; but that's not going to be until after the next chapter. Thanks for reviewing!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or Destiny.

Chapter 6 – Broken Chains, New Beginnings

It was morning, and, after waking from a less-than-restful sleep, Cagalli Yula Attha woke up to the sound of muffled laughter and whispered conversations…as well as the feel of something cold and hard on her wrist – something that wasn't there when she finally got to sleep the night before.

Opening her eyes, Cagalli rubbed away the last remnants of sleep and got a clear look at the scene before her: Her best-friend, Lacus Clyne, and her brother, Kira Yamato were sitting on the couch facing the bed, lost in conversation. Sitting up, she tried to get out of bed but something restrained her. Turning, she looked at her hand and was mortified to see that she was handcuffed…to a still slumbering Athrun.

Turning, she saw that her brother and her best-friend were now standing side by side, identical smiles on their faces. "Did you do this?" she inquired of her brother, lifting her chained arm for emphasis.

"Uh, yeah…" he replied.

"Why?"

"Well, you see, we knew that you and Athrun weren't going to talk to each other willingly, so…we decided we'd make you." Lacus answered for him.

Cagalli's amber eyes flashed angrily. "What?" She practically screamed the word.

This, of course, woke the person lying next to her. Athrun bolted upright, obviously startled by the sudden noise. "What's going on here?" he asked, taking in the scene before him.

"Kira. Lacus. What are you guys doing in my room?"

Cagalli made her presence known to him then. "This isn't _your_ room; it's mine."

Athrun turned to her, his eyes wide. "What? But why? I don't get it…"

She tilted her head toward the guilty party. "Why don't you ask them."

He turned his attention to his friends. "What are you guys trying to do? Why'd you guys bring me here?"

Cagalli didn't wait for their companions to answer. "They want us to talk, apparently."

Athrun looked to his best-friend. "Kira?"

"It's true. We're really sorry, but we had to do this…we – Lacus and I – think you guys need to take some time and talk things through. We couldn't think of any other way to get you guys to do that, so…" his friend replied.

Before either Cagalli or Athrun could answer, Kira spoke again. "Well, we're going to leave you two alone now. Bye!" With that, Kira put his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders and they started to walk out of the room.

"Wait!"

"What, sis?" Kira asked.

"Where are you guys going?"

"We're going out."

"Huh? What do you mean you're going out?"

"I mean we're going out. Maybe even do some sightseeing."

"You mean you're leaving me here with _him_?" she said, pointing a finger at Athrun.

"Hey! Watch it! It's not like I want to be alone with you either, you know!" he burst out.

Ignoring his best-friend's outburst, Kira directed his next statement to his sister. "What's wrong with that? It's not like you've never been alone with him before."

She blushed. "T-that was different!"

"Why're you blushing?" her brother asked. "I didn't say anything embarrassing…oh, wait, I did!" he said mischievously before bursting into laughter.

Lacus giggled. "What's wrong, Cagalli? You look like you're going to implode!" she declared teasingly.

Her best-friend pouted. "Lacus! Not you too! You're supposed to be on _my_ side!"  
"I'm sorry, Cagalli." she said, still laughing.

"You don't sound like you're sorry at all…" the blonde muttered.

The songstress sobered up briefly. "It's true, I am sorry for laughing at you…but we're still leaving you guys here."

"But…!" Athrun and Cagalli said at the same time.

Lacus and Kira only smiled and walked out of the room, giving them one last, backward wave before disappearing completely.

Athrun and Cagalli stared helplessly after them. "You know, we could go after them…" Athrun said after a brief moment of silence.

Cagalli nodded. "Yeah, we could, but…I think…I think maybe they're right. I think we really do need to talk. I mean, we can't just keep avoiding each other forever, right? And it's not like we can avoid talking about this stuff forever, either…"

He leaned back against the headboard. "I guess…"

After another moment of awkward silence, Cagalli decided to take the initiative and spoke first. "So. What do you want to talk about first?"

"How about you tell me the truth." Athrun said softly.

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

He sat up and turned his eyes towards the side window. "I told Lacus what you told me…about your reason for breaking up with me."

She stiffened. "And? What did she say?"

He turned around to face her. "She told me that if I believed that, I don't deserve you."

SCENE CHANGE

Lacus and Kira pulled up in front of a local convenience store. Walking in, Lacus turned to Kira. "I'm going to go use the ladies' room. Ok?"

He nodded. "What do you want to get?"

She shrugged. "You decide."

"Ok."

After getting everything they needed, Kira walked up to the counter and engaged in idle conversation while the attendant rang up the purchases. "So, you here on a vacation?" a girl who looked about his age asked.

"Yeah." he replied.

The girl nodded. "I gathered as much. So, are you guys planning to watch the meteor shower tonight?"

Kira raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Meteor shower? Tonight?"

She nodded. "Yeah, everyone's going to the Point to go watch it. Lots of people are bound to be there."

He perked up. "The Point, huh? Can you give me directions?"

"Sure." she answered, scribbling the directions on a wrinkled piece of paper.

"Thanks." Kira said after he'd paid and she handed him the paper.

The girl smiled. "No problem."

Turning, Kira looked up in time to see his songstress girlfriend emerge from the rest room and started walking over to her. After reaching her side, he smiled at her. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah…So, did you find a place where we could go?"

His smile widened. "Yeah. I think I found just the place."

And with that, they walked out of the store and drove off, a rather surprised attendant staring after them. "Was that…Lacus Clyne?"

SCENE CHANGE

Cagalli's distressed amber eyes stared into Athrun's jade green ones. "So, is there anything you want to tell me?" he asked softly.

She stood up abruptly, and, because Athrun's arm was still handcuffed to hers, he was forced to follow her as she walked towards the window. "I'd tell you, but then…I'd be putting you in danger…" she whispered after a moment.

"I don't care."

She looked up at him, surprise and worry written on her face. "Athrun…"

He reached over and took her hands in his. "I want to know. You can't keep this from me, Cagalli." he said earnestly, his grip on her hands tightening.

"But…"

"Didn't you hear me? I said I don't care! Just tell me!"

Tears started to fall from her eyes then. "But I do. You might not care if I put you in danger but I do! I can't bear the thought of you getting hurt, Athrun...I can't possibly…I could never live with myself if anything bad ever happened to you!"

Athrun's eyes widened. "Cagalli…"

She pulled her hands out of his grasp and looked away. "I can't tell you. No, I _won't_ tell you."

"…So you _do_ care about me." he whispered softly.

"…_I always have_…_always will._" she said silently, her throat suddenly constricting with emotion at the thought of never being able to tell him.

He turned her around to face him. "Tell me."

"But Athrun -"

He smiled. "It's okay. I can take care of myself; you don't have to worry."

She looked back at him defiantly. "No."

Athrun's expression turned stormy then. "Damn it, Cagalli, I -"

"I said no."

He ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "Look, I'm not a kid. I know there's danger, and I know you're worried about me, but you have to believe me when I tell you that I can handle it!"

"You really want to know? Fine! I broke up with you because Yuna threatened to hurt you if I didn't! He told me such horrible things…" she said, her tears spilling down her cheeks and down her chin, her shoulders trembling with the barrage of emotions rioting through her.

Athrun's green eyes softened, and he pulled her close to him then rested his chin against her blond hair. "I'm sorry…"

After a moment, Cagalli pulled away from him. "Now you know." Turning, she looked into his eyes, her own amber orbs clouded with unshed tears. "You understand now, don't you? Why we can't be together?"

He smiled. "I understand what you mean, but that doesn't mean we can't be together."

"What…?"

SCENE CHANGE

"Where are we going, Kira?" Lacus asked, turning away from the scenery and directing her gaze at her boyfriend who was at the wheel of the rented car, cruising along the coastal road on the way to a place which was unknown to her.

"It's a secret," he replied, his voice tinged with laughter.

Lacus raised an eyebrow at him, her eyes showing curiosity. "Kira…"

He smiled at her before turning his attention back to the road. "Trust me, you're going to like it."

SCENE CHANGE

Cagalli stared hard at Athrun, her face a portrait of mixed emotions. On the one hand, she was unbelievably elated at the realization that he really did still love her – enough to not care about the potentially life-threatening situation he would be putting himself in if they got back together.

On the other hand, she was intensely worried about that same threat – enough to want to keep her distance.

"Athrun, I -"

"I'm not going to go away, Cagalli. Not this time." he said firmly, interrupting her.

She lifted her amber eyes to his green ones, and Athrun could see the ill-hidden worry in them. "I mean it, Cagalli. I don't care what happens. I'm not going to let you push me away again."

Cagalli immediately pushed him away and retreated to as far as the cold metal handcuffs would let her. "You don't understand, I-"

"Never again, Cagalli." he repeated, interrupting her.

"Athrun, please," she pleaded, her voice hoarse from the lump that had formed in her throat, "don't make this any harder for me than it already is. It was good while it lasted, but it's over now, so please, just let it go. It's…over."

He looked hurt for a moment, and he didn't speak for a long time, but when he did, his voice was calm and sure. "Look me in the eye and tell me you don't want this as much as I do. Show me you don't feel the same way I do and I'll leave you alone – you'll never see me again."

Cagalli's heart broke at the thought of never seeing Athrun's familiar face again, but her heart also told her this was something that had to be done. She had to push him away – tell him, for the second time – that she didn't love him. It was all so very painful – and uncomfortably familiar - for her, and though what she was about to say contradicted everything she felt, she also knew she had no choice. This needed to be done…because, as ironic as it might seem, she did love him.

Squaring her shoulders, she took a deep breath and looked into his eyes.

That was a mistake. Because, as soon as her eyes met his, her resolve immediately began to crumble. She couldn't do this – not again. _"I can't do this again. I can't…he's too important…I don't want to lie anymore. I love him."_

"Athrun, I…I can't. I just…" she started, only to be silenced by Athrun's taking her into his arms and saying, in a shaky, uncharacteristically hesitant voice, "…You don't need to say anything. I know how you feel – I understand."

With half of her face hidden against Athrun's shoulder, Cagalli let the tears that had been gathering in her eyes fall freely, soaking the wine-colored shirt he was wearing. Breathing in his familiar scent, she whispered words she had only said to the wind for the last year… "I…I do love you, Athrun."

SCENE CHANGE

Walking up a relatively empty parking lot with Kira by her side, Lacus looked around her at the lush greenery which was bathed in the deep reddish light of dusk and remarked, quite serenely, "You were right, Kira. I do like this place. It's so beautiful here…"

He smiled at her. He felt so at peace when she was around, and he hadn't felt as good in a long time. "It is, isn't it? But it gets better."

She shot a questioning look his way. "What do you mean?"

He smiled that small, mischievous smile at her again and said, cryptically, "You'll just have to wait and see."

Lacus walked quickly ahead of him and, when she'd created some distance between them, she turned back to face him and smiled. "I can wait. I'm happy as long as you're with me; but what's with all the mystery? You're acting really strange for some reason."

Kira's expression never changed, but his lavender eyes softened and he said, very quietly, "I have a surprise for you."

She giggled in delight. "Really? Is it over here?" she asked, running over to the entrance of the restaurant nestled between large, imposing oak trees, motioning for him to hurry after her.

He smiled to himself as he followed her. _"No, the surprise is right here…"_ he thought, clutching the small ring in his pocket tightly. _"And I don't want to wait anymore…" _

Two hours later

Kira stood next to Lacus in a quiet arbor next to the restaurant which was situated atop a hill, affording them a view of the city lights below. "It's so beautiful up here." Lacus remarked.

_"It's going to be even more beautiful in a few minutes…"_ he thought, glancing at his watch.

His girlfriend noticed the action. "Are you waiting for something?" she asked, curious.

He shook his head nervously. "N-no…why do you ask?"

"You were looking at your watch a while ago. Are you worried about Cagalli and Athrun?"

"Yeah, a little," he admitted.

Lacus smiled gently. "I'm sure they're fine."

Kira couldn't help but smile back despite himself. "Yeah, I'm sure they've patched things up," he replied, his rattled nerves getting more and more rattled by the minute.

A few minutes later…

Lacus frowned, noticing his continued discomfort. "Kira, are you alright? You don't look well…"

"Huh? Uh…I…um…"

"Kira?"

Just then, Kira saw something from the corner of his eye and smiled. Pointing to the sky, he whispered, "Lacus, look over there."

_In front of me, you start emitting lights, and I can't see_

_Where are we?_

Turning, Lacus looked up at the sky and felt her eyes widen. "Oh my god…"

As the other diners started to pour out of the restaurant to watch the meteor shower, Kira led his girlfriend away to some place where they could watch the falling stars in peace.

_Among the noisy landscape, don't disappear yet._

_I can't hear anymore, but I can feel you breathe…_

When they were alone again, Lacus turned to her boyfriend and smiled. "So _this _was the surprise. It was wonderful; thank you, Kira."

He smiled gently and took her hands in his, placing something in them before letting go, saying, in a soft, barely audible voice, "Look at what's inside."

_Due to this surprising outcome, oh, oh, I still hope._

Looking down at her hands, Lacus' blue eyes focused on the platinum band she held in her hand. "Kira…"

_I wanna be here eternally_

_Like this, I want to stare_

_I can feel you close to me_

_I can't be without forever_

He took the ring from her and held it up to the light so she could catch the inscription on the inside. It said 'Lacus and Kira Eternally'.

She looked up at him, and he could see the tears glistening in her eyes. "Kira…"

He got down on one knee and whispered, a little shakily, "Will you make it true, Lacus?"

"Of course I will," she answered; and as soon as he stood back up, she threw herself into his arms, tears streaming down her face.

_Make this moment eternity…_

Kira closed his eyes and held her, letting it all sink in. Lacus was his fiancée now…it felt a little weird because she was technically still engaged to Athrun, but it felt very good, too, and he really couldn't be happier.

Pulling away slightly, Lacus smiled at him. "This is the perfect surprise, Kira. Thank you."

He smiled back at her, his heartbeat slowly returning to normal. "Always, Lacus."

_I wanna be here eternally_

_At the place where no one can see us_

She blinked, confused by his odd reply. "Kira, what -"

"I'm always going to stay by your side, no matter what," he said in reply to her unfinished question, his amethyst eyes looking at her with a gentle, quietly happy expression.

_I wanna be here eternally_

_I can see you are all I need_

She couldn't help but smile at the sincerity she heard in his voice. "And there's nothing I'd rather do…" she said as she leaned forward, "than stay right by your side," she finished, just a moment before his lips met hers.

_At least this feeling is eternity…_

SCENE CHANGE

The room was dark and eerily quiet. A masked man sat behind the large oak desk in the middle of the room, and as the door opened, he looked up to see one of his men, this one wearing a black trench coat over a black t-shirt and pants, walked into the room and handed a large brown envelope which looked like it was filled to capacity to him.

"What's this?" Rau Le Creuset asked, already beginning to dismiss the parcel in his hand.

"Those are pictures," the young man said, a little nervously, "of Kira Yamato."

Rau's eyes narrowed. "Of who?"

"K-Kira Y-Yamato, sir."

The blond-haired man's frown deepened, and his voice was strained and laced with a dangerous undertone as he said, very slowly and deliberately, "Watch him. Follow him around and wait for my call."

The young man nodded. "Yes sir."

When he was left alone again, Rau pulled out a picture of the brown-haired young man and stared hard at it, his face a cold mask. "Kira Yamato…what a troublesome existence you're turning out to be…"

a/n: Okie…again, I'm really, really, really, really, really sorry for taking so long to update, but I really wanted this chapter to be at least a little longer than the previous ones, so…well, that, coupled with a bit of writer's block, laziness and school…well…you know. So what do you guys think? Corny, stupid, crazy, silly…? Anyway, please review…thanks. -) Oh, and in case you're wondering where Kira got the ring, it'll be revealed after a chapter or two.

The song is 'Eternally' by Utada Hikaru.


	8. The Key To A Lost Dream

a/n: I'm terribly sorry for the late update…I just came home from a road trip and I had school before that… Anyway, I hope you guys like this one!

Thank yous:

eliteElite – Thanks, I was worried about that chapter. xD

Craze Izumi – Thanks.

Chapter 7 – Key To A Lost Dream

The night was cool without being too chilly, a soft, mid-evening breeze tousling the distinctive pink hair of the girl who stood on stage, her gentle blue eyes reaching out to the crowd of more than ten thousand people. Smiling, she greeted her fans and wrapped her hands around the microphone, the platinum ring which had caused so much curiosity on her left hand.

Her lyrical voice carried to the crowd as she introduced the last song, a familiar one, close to the hearts of her audience but even dearer to the songstress herself, and to sing it now was even better, because the boy it was meant for was once again by her side, just as she'd always hoped he would be.

_In this quiet night, I'm waiting for you_

_During that time, your smile has faded away…_

_Now that a little time has passed,_

_Fond memories start to resurface…_

Kira, who was standing beside Athrun backstage watched his fiancée's calm performance and couldn't help but feel fortunate. She'd been incredibly good to him, and he was more than a little happy to be back.

A year and a half had been too much already…because despite the amnesia, his mind had been haunted by images he now realized had been pieces of his past – images of a beautiful girl with the quiet smile he didn't know…

Flashback, six months ago

_A sleeping Kira was awakened from his nap by the familiar smell of hot chocolate that wafted in from the kitchen nearby. Opening his deep amethyst eyes, he sat up and looked out through the window, his thoughts still caught up in his dream, one that had been recurring practically every night for the whole of the last year… _

_It was a dream that revolved around a beautiful pink-haired girl and…a ring. The same ring he held in his hand right then…it had an inscription on the inner part of the band… He wasn't sure what it meant, or what it was supposed to mean to him and he certainly didn't know why it was with him. Did it belong to him? It was possible._

_And the dream…it was the same but it wasn't. The only thing that was constant was her – and he figured she was someone who meant something to him, but what? Just then, he heard a knock on the door, and it opened to reveal a raven-haired little girl. "Um…oni-chan, Reverend Malchio said to ask you if you'd mind getting some eggs from the store…"_

"_No, Himiko-chan, I don't mind," he replied with a smile._

_Later…_

_Walking back down the street from the store with the requested items, the brown-haired boy had just started to cross the street when something caught his eye – and he felt his pulse quicken in reaction as the one constant in his dreams seemed to materialize before him, just a few meters away, a blue-haired young man by her side._

_Unconsciously, he put his hand on his chest, right over the ring which hung on a thin silver chain around his neck. He stood, frozen in the middle of the street as he watched her, his mind reeling._

_The scene before him unfolded like it was in slow motion, and as he continued to watch, things – memories - started to replay themselves in his mind, and as a car pulled up at the curb and the girl started to get in, the images stopped and he whispered one word. "Lacus…"_

_ He opened his mouth to call out to her, but he couldn't seem to find his voice, and before he could try again, it was too late as the black car started to move, making his heart wrench painfully as he watched it take her farther and farther away from him… And then, gripped by a sudden desperation he couldn't quite understand, Kira started to run after them, but he just could not catch up, and he ended up sprawled on the pavement, his breaths coming in fast, shallow gasps._

_A moment later, he picked himself up off the ground and began to make his way home, but as he did so, he heard the sound of screeching brakes and turned to come face to face with an irate driver at the wheel of a car that had stopped just a breath away from running him over._

_The man was screaming his head off at Kira, telling him to watch it, but he didn't hear him as his head started to feel like it was going to implode…and then everything went black._

_Still later…_

_Lavender eyes opened to an unfamiliar room and a pounding headache as an equally unfamiliar masculine voice made him turn his head in the direction it was coming from. "Glad you're awake, kid," the blond-haired man said, pulling up a chair to sit by the younger man's bedside._

_Kira frowned. "Where am I? And who are you?"_

_The man smiled sardonically. "Nice to meet you too, kid."_

_Kira sighed. "I'm sorry…"_

_"It's okay; I was just messing with you. Anyway, the name's Mwu. Mwu La Fllaga. And you're in the hospital._

_"But…why…am I here?"_

_"You blacked out after I almost ran you over. You've got a pretty bad concussion."_

_"I see…Thanks…for bringing me here."_

_"No problem."_

_The younger man nodded. "I'm…" _

_"What's the matter, kid? Something wrong?"_

_"My name…" he mumbled, taking the ring out from under his hospital gown and gripping it tightly._

_"Oh, yeah…I told you my name already, so…"_

_Refocusing his eyes on the man who'd helped him, he muttered, "My name…is Kira…Yamato."_

Back to the Present

"Kira. Kira!" Athrun yelled into his ear.

Startled, Kira covered his ear up and frowned at his best-friend. "Hey! That hurt!"

His friend responded with an impenitent laugh. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. You looked like you were in a trance."

Cagalli, who had been listening in, let out a small giggle.

Her brother's frown deepened, but he chose to ignore the lovebirds and turned his attention back to Lacus whose eyes met his. He smiled at her, and she smiled back, making his heart skip a beat. She did that with surprising frequency.

_At the place where stars fall,_

_I'm always wishing for your laughter._

_Even though we're apart now,_

_We can meet again, right?_

"Lacus…" Kira whispered softly. The words she sang reflected the same feelings he'd had before he came back…

_From when has my smile faded this much?_

_Since it was shattered by one mistake_

_Change only the precious things into light_

_And go beyond the sky with fortitude_

Cagalli turned to Athrun, her thoughts on her own mistake, the one that forced them apart…and her boyfriend was obviously thinking about the same thing as he smiled at her and took her hand in his.

Lacus turned her eyes to her fiancé and directed her next words only to him.

_To the place where stars fall,_

_I want my thoughts to reach you,_

_I am always by your side_

_Since I will embrace that coldness_

_Even though we are apart now,_

_We will definitely be back together…_

"Kira…" Lacus whispered softly.

_In this quiet night…_

The crowd immediately burst out in applause as soon as the song's final melody faded away, and Lacus, with tears in her eyes, quietly thanked them for coming and making the first concert of her young career a success.

And, just like that, it was over and Lacus was walking back to her dressing room where Kira, Athrun and Cagalli were waiting for her. "Nice, Lacus!" Cagalli said, a wide grin on her face.

"Yeah, Lacus. That was great!" Athrun chimed in, his left arm draped across Cagalli's shoulders.

She smiled back happily. "Thanks guys."

Feeling a warm hand grasp hers, she turned and her blue eyes met Kira's violet ones. He linked his fingers through hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Lacus promptly squeezed back and stepped into the dressing room, Athrun and Cagalli hot on their heels.

After a few minutes…

There was a knock on the door. "I'll get it," Athrun said, jumping up and heading to the door. Opening it up a crack, he peered out and saw a tall, burly man with a weird-looking mustache standing there. Athrun recognized him immediately and stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

"What does my father want, Romeo?" he asked flatly.

"He requests your presence in his office, sir," Romeo answered.

With a sigh, Athrun nodded and started to go back in the room when the big man clamped a heavy hand on his shoulder. "I don't think you understood, sir. He wants to see you _now_."

Roughly shrugging the man's hand off, Athrun didn't even turn to face him when he replied, "I'll go see him on my own time." With that, Athrun pushed the door open and shut it again in the man's face.

"Where were you?" Cagalli asked as Athrun took his place on the sofa beside her.

"Nowhere. I was just talking to someone." he replied, his tone indicating he didn't want to talk about it further.

With a slight frown, Cagalli started to ask again when Kira motioned for her to let it go…and when she began to protest, Kira quickly changed the subject, making his sister shoot him a 'you're going to get it later' look at her brother. She remained silent though, and the group continued to hang out together for the next three hours.

Three hours later, 2:35 am

Kira, Lacus, Athrun and Cagalli walked out of the amphitheater together, their laughter echoing out into the quiet street. Walking over to a waiting car, Lacus, Cagalli and Kira bade Athrun good night as they got into the limousine and it sped off moments later, leaving Athrun to walk to his own car alone.

As soon as Athrun had turned the ignition and put the car into gear, he let out a long sigh and started to head for his father's home office.

Still later, 2:47 am

Athrun pushed open the doors that led to his father's office and quietly walked up to the desk, stopping just in front of it as his father regarded him with disdain.

"Tell me, what is the meaning of this?" Patrick Zala asked coldly, showing him a picture of him and Cagalli from two days before.

Athrun's green eyes widened when he saw the picture, and he clenched his fists as he felt his ire begin to rise. "You're having people spy on me now? I've done everything you wanted for the last year; what more do you want?" he hissed, his body trembling with rage.

"So what if I am? And I want you to act like you're supposed to, you are still engaged to Lacus Clyne!" his father retorted just as heatedly.

"You have no right! Damn it, father, why are you making me do this? Lacus and I don't feel that way for each other!"

"It's for the good of the company, damn it!"

Athrun's face registered visible hurt. "Don't you care about what _I _want?"

Patrick stood and leaned over his desk. "The company comes first."

His son's demeanor changed drastically then. "I will not sacrifice my happiness for the sake of this company any longer," he said, his voice laced with unconcealed disgust.

Patrick sat back down and asked, surprisingly calmly, "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes."

His father signaled to someone behind Athrun and the door opened moments later. "Athrun!"

Athrun turned, his eyes registering surprise. "Cagalli?"

"Athrun!" she said again as two more men came in with Kira and Lacus.

"Kira! Lacus!" Athrun said, "What…?"

"These guys…jumped us," Kira said, wincing from the pain the guard Athrun had talked to earlier, Romeo, inflicted on him as the big man shoved him into the room.

Whirling around, Athrun glared at his sire. "Father…!"

Patrick Zala smiled. "Either you agree to stop seeing this girl," he said, gesturing to Cagalli, "or I will eliminate both her and her brother."

"No!" Lacus said, her blue eyes shining with tears.

His smile widening, Patrick Zala spoke again. "Now, what do you say?'

Athrun stiffened. "I…"

a/n: Ok, that's it for chapter 7! What do you guys think? Good, bad, corny? Read and review!


	9. Choices

A/n: Yes, I am still alive. I'm sorry it took me so long to update... Forgive me? I hope you like this one; I had at least 5 versions!

Thank yous to: Maryam Khanoom, cloudy mind, WillTheWatcher, gohsam2001, and Princess Ashes.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed or Destiny. –sniff-

Chapter 8 – Choices

Flashback

_Patrick Zala smiled. "Either you agree to stop seeing this girl," he said, gesturing to Cagalli, "or I will eliminate both her and her brother."_

_"No!" Lacus said, her blue eyes shining with tears._

_His smile widening, Patrick Zala spoke again. "Now, what do you say?"_

_Athrun stiffened. "I…"_

End of Flashback

_"I…I will stop… seeing her."_

Those were the words that echoed in Cagalli Yula Attha's mind as she lay on the lumpy old cot that had been laid out on the floor of the cell she, Kira and Lacus had been placed in.

She stared at the darkening bruise on her wrist and frowned. "This sucks," she muttered irritably as she sat up and laid her head on her crossed arms, her bloodshot amber eyes scanning the room listlessly before coming to rest on her sleeping brother. _"Lucky jerk, being able to sleep at a time like this!"_

Reaching down beside her, Cagalli grabbed hold of her pillow and raised her arm, ready to throw it at Kira when he opened one eye and muttered, "Don't even think about it."

"You're no fun," she huffed, throwing the pillow at the wall beside her instead.

"You don't want to wake Lacus, do you?" Kira said, tilting his head towards the sleeping girl beside him.

Cagalli sighed. "When do you think they're going to let us out of here?"

"I don't know. To tell you the truth, I don't think they're ever going to let us go...That is, until Patrick Zala's plans come to fruition and that's something we can't let happen." Kira replied quietly, his lavender eyes lingering on Lacus' sleeping form.

Cagalli frowned. "Athrun…"

Kira's lavender eyes clouded at his sister's words. "Poor Athrun."

"You mean stupid Athrun. How could he believe his father would let us go if he agreed to his demands?"

"Yeah. He had all of us locked up instead." Kira said.

"You know, even if that guy is Athrun's dad, I still hate his guts." Cagalli said, her voice laced with unhidden disgust.

"You and me both," her brother replied.

Silence reigned for a moment before Kira spoke again. "I wonder where Athrun is."

"I imagine he's being kept in a cell similar to this one," a soft, feminine voice replied.

Kira turned around, surprised. "Lacus. You were awake?"

The songstress nodded, her pale blue eyes rimmed with red "I couldn't sleep either."

"Looks like we're all in the same boat." Kira remarked.

"I don't think anyone can sleep after all that's happened." Cagalli said.

"In any case, we need to get out of here." Kira said.

Cagalli nodded in agreement. "We need to get Athrun out, too."

Both Kira and Lacus agreed, and just as they were finishing their discussion, they saw the shadow of someone at the door. Cagalli looked at Kira and then moved to stand by the door. Kira then took his place on the other side while Lacus stood in the middle of the room.

As the door opened, two figures stepped into the room. The one in front, a man with silver hair, looked at Lacus and asked, "Weren't there others with you?"

Lacus simply stared at him, and when he stepped further into the room, Cagalli shut the door while Kira jumped his companion, and the silver-haired man immediately reacted. "Dearka!"

The blonde smiled. "Looks like they were waiting for us, Yzak."

"Let him go!" Yzak yelled.

"Not until you tell us why you're here." Cagalli retorted.

Yzak rolled his eyes in exasperation. "We're here to free you, idiot."

"Who're you calling idiot?" Cagalli asked, her voice rising in pitch.

"You!" Yzak replied hotly.

"Why you…!"

"Who sent you?" Kira asked, letting go of Dearka and stepping in front of his angry sister.

"Athrun sent us," Dearka answered.

Cagalli stopped glaring at Yzak and frowned at the mention of Athrun's name. "Athrun?"

Dearka nodded. "Yeah. He said to get you guys out of here as quickly as possible."

"What about him?" Lacus asked.

"He said he was going to stay here." Yzak replied.

"That idiot! Where is he?" Cagalli asked.

"He's in another cell in the east wing," Dearka answered.

"Can you take us to him?" Kira asked.

Both Yzak and Dearka shook their heads. "Athrun told us not to, no matter what." Dearka said.

This, of course, sparked the blond princess's temper. "What do you mean he told you not to? Does he plan on staying in that cell forever?" she half-screamed, half-asked, her eyes blazing with fury.

"He was adamant. He said all that mattered was that you and the others get out safely." Dearka explained.

Cagalli smiled sweetly. "You're taking us to Athrun, and that's final."

Scene Change

Athrun Zala sat on the cold floor of the dark, damp cell his father's men had brought him to, his back against the wall. He had a glazed look in his green eyes, and his heart was conflicted. _"Well, at least Cagalli and the others will be safe."_

As he thought this, he heard a dull thud from outside the cell, and five shadowy figures soon appeared at the door. "What the…?"

Before he could say anything else, Cagalli stepped forward and soundly slapped him, the darkness in the cell making her expression unreadable. "You idiot!

Athrun glared at her. "What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be long gone by now!" he shouted.

"We couldn't just leave you here!" Cagalli yelled back.

"Well, you should have! It's my fault you're here anyway." Athrun said, his voice lowering a bit.

"Idiot," Cagalli said, her voice softening a bit, "it doesn't matter. Just come with us."

Athrun sighed. "Cagalli…I can't."

That response took the warmth of understanding in Cagalli's eyes and replaced them with unhidden frustration. "What did you say?"

Athrun looked away from her as he repeated, "I can't go with you."

"Why? Why can't you? What do you intend to accomplish by staying here!"

He frowned. "I…don't know yet."

"What the hell does that mean?"

Quietly, so as not to be noticed, Kira, Lacus, Yzak and Dearka slipped out of the room to give the arguing couple some privacy.

Outside

"What do you think is going to happen now?" Yzak asked, his gaze directed at Kira.

"I'm not sure." Kira replied.

"You don't suppose she'll be able to convince him to escape with us, do you?" Dearka asked.

Kira smiled. "Knowing Cagalli, she probably can, but then again, Athrun's mind seems to have been made up. We'll just have to wait and see, I guess."

Inside

"Athrun, please. Don't try to be the hero; just come with us," Cagalli said.

Athrun looked back at her with sad eyes. "Cagalli, my father…he'll stop at nothing to make sure he gets what he wants."

She frowned. "I know that, but…wouldn't it be easier knowing you have us there to support you?"

"You don't know my father, Cagalli. He won't stop hounding us unless he gets what he wants; he'll do whatever it takes…and I'm afraid he might go too far."

"What do you mean?"

"He might make good on his promise – he might actually -" he began, but stopped himself, obviously pained by the thought that crossed his mind then.

"You mean he might hurt me and Kira?" Cagalli asked, finishing Athrun's unwelcome thought.

He nodded.

"What makes you think staying in this dump is going to keep him from doing just that?" she asked softly.

"I don't know. I guess…some part of me still believes he can change. He is my father, after all."

"Athrun…"

"You know Cagalli's right, Athrun."

Both he and Cagalli turned at the sound of the voice. It was Lacus, with Kira by her side.

"Lacus…" Athrun muttered.

"Your staying here won't do any good, and I think you know that. If you want things to change, you can't just sit in this darkness and hope for it; you have to make things happen. You have to _make_ him change, Athrun."

He frowned, not saying a word as the room's other occupants stared silently at the troubled young man.

After a moment, the door swung open once again, revealing a rather irritated-looking Yzak. "What's taking you so long? We need to get going! Or did you guys want to stay here?"

"What do you say, Athrun? Kira asked, his left hand resting on the doorframe.

Athrun looked back at his friend, hesitating. "I…"

"Come on, Athrun," Cagalli said, taking hold of his hand and pulling him in the direction of the door, "let's just go!"

He smiled despite himself and simply let her drag him along in her wake without another word.

Later…

The shadows that lined the Zala estate were large and numerous, and as they made their way across the vast courtyard, the group of six made sure those same shadows kept them hidden from the ever-watchful eyes of the guards that lined the perimeter.

"How much further is it?" Cagalli asked.

"Not much farther," Athrun replied.

Just then, a voice called from the distance, making them all freeze in their tracks. "Who's there?" the voice which belonged to a tall, dark-haired man inquired of the figures that were, even then, hidden in the shadows.

There was no answer. Of course, he never should have expected one, but this particular man was oblivious to this fact. He thought he'd heard voices, so he approached the source of the sound cautiously, and as he soon as he stepped away from the light, Dearka grabbed him and covered his mouth to keep him from making another sound.

"Stop squirming," Dearka hissed, his violet eyes scanning the perimeter.

Yzak frowned. "Dearka, don't you think -"

At that exact moment, the guard managed to slam his elbow into Dearka's ribs, forcing the young man to loosen his grip. He then broke free of Dearka's hold and quickly took off in the direction of the closest guard house.

"Deaka, you idiot!" Yzak exclaimed, hitting his friend on the head with a stick.

"Ouch," Dearka whined, "that hurt."

"Oh no…" Lacus whispered, her blue eyes wide with apprehension.

"That's not good…" Kira muttered, his lavender eyes still on the guard's retreating form.

Yzak scanned their surroundings, judged that their exit was close enough, and told everyone to split up and make a run for it.

The group split up into pairs: Lacus and Kira, Athrun and Cagalli, and Yzak and Dearka. They each ran in different directions as the sound of gunfire and urgent warnings filled the air, all of them heading for the same place: the exit. In this case it was the secret passage that opened up in one of the mansion's thick walls and led to the outside, at least half a mile beyond the estate's gates.

As a seemingly endless hale of bullets continued to bombard them, Kira decided to escape it by hiding behind a stone wall that was covered by thick vines, Lacus sheltered in the safety of his arms.

Athrun and Cagalli joined them moments later, both of them barely able to catch their breaths. "This isn't good, Kira. We can't let them follow us to the passage." Athrun said, a worried expression on his face.

Kira nodded, his amethyst eyes thoughtful.

"Kira…" It was Lacus. Turning, he smiled reassuringly at her before taking her hand in his and turning around to face Athrun. "Let's just go, Athrun."

"Kira, we can't be careless!" Athrun hissed, frowning in disapproval.

"I've thought this through, Athrun. We don't have much of a choice; if we stay here any longer your father's guards will find us, and this would've been all in vain."

His friend couldn't suppress a smile. "I guess you're right," he said softly before the sound of gunfire erupted once more.

With a subtle nod directed at Athrun, Kira turned around and, tightening his hold on Lacus' hand, led her through the dense bushes and headed straight for the passage Athrun had been talking about.

Turning to Cagalli, Athrun smiled. "You ready?"

"Of course; this is the famous Cagalli Yula Attha you're dealing with," she replied, a hint of laughter sparkling in her eyes.

"Only you can make me laugh at a time like this," he said, his shoulders trembling with silent laughter.

She grinned. "I'm glad."

He looked at her, his features softened with a smile. "I -"

Whatever he was going to say was cut off by the sound of a man's voice; it was very close by. Taking one last look back to make sure there was no one there, Athrun grabbed hold of Cagalli's hand and quickly led her down the path Kira and Lacus had taken only moments before.

Later…

Lacus and Kira emerged from the dark passageway and came unto a small clearing in the middle of what looked like a dimly lit park.

"Kira Yamato. So you _are_ still alive," a man's voice said from the darkness, startling the young couple.

Kira stepped in front of Lacus, his lavender eyes fixed warily ahead. "Who's there?"

"Someone you don't know," the voice replied cryptically.

"Show yourself!"

"In due time, my boy. In due time." the same voice answered, the sound of twigs and dried leaves breaking echoing through the still air as the man began to walk away.

Kira had started to follow when another voice, this one familiar to him, called from behind them. "Kira!"

Both he and Lacus turned around to see Athrun and Cagalli running towards them, Yzak and Dearka not far behind. "Athrun! You made it!" the brown-haired young man said, relief evident in his voice.

"Yeah, but Cagalli's hurt," Athrun replied, a worried look in his green eyes.

"Huh? How? Did she get shot?" Kira asked worriedly.

"No, luckily it's not as bad as that. She just turned her ankle again."

As Kira started to walk over to his sister, he saw that Lacus was already with her.

"Are you alright, Cagalli?" Lacus asked as she approached Cagalli, her sapphire eyes focused on the slight swelling on her friend's ankle.

"I'm fine, my ankle just hurts a little bit. I must've tweaked it," the blonde replied.

"Here, let me fix it," Lacus offered, tearing off a strip of her dress and wrapping it around the princess's ankle.

"We'd better keep moving," Yzak said to Athrun as Lacus finished wrapping up Cagalli's ankle, "they must've alerted Mr. Zala by now."

Athrun nodded. "Okay. I'll go tell Kira and the others."

They set off for the Atthas' mansion moments later.

A/n: That's it for chapter 8! Hope you liked it…I actually wanted this chapter to end with a cliffie, but I just couldn't come up with a suitable one…Anyway, read and review, please?


	10. A Dream Is A Wish The Heart Makes

A/n: Sorry about the delay, midterm exams got in the way. Anyway, I hope you guys like this one.

Thanks to Shadow-Naka for the review.

Legend:

_Past_

Present

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed or Destiny.

Chapter 9 – A Dream Is A Wish The Heart Makes

_The room was dark, the faint glow coming from the recording equipment the only light hinting at the presence of the young girl who stood in the middle of the room, her face cast in shadow. She was Lacus Clyne, the one everyone adored, the one everyone wanted to be like… the girl who had the saddest dreams._

_She was beautiful, kind, smart, and talented; she was the sole heir to her late father, Siegel Clyne's vast fortune; she was a gifted singer who had a fan base that spanned the globe…and she was engaged to Athrun Zala - something most people believed to be her greatest accomplishment. It was therefore unfortunate that this was not the way Lacus herself viewed it. _

_Some would go so far as to say she was actually pained by it, and the fact was that she was; the engagement was not something she wanted. The truth was that she was more hurt by it than she let on, and it was, more than anything, a burden to her. She appeared to be sinking, slowly but surely, she was sinking into the pitfall of depression._

_Lacus Clyne was looking more lost and withdrawn with each passing day. She was always in the garden as well, staring out towards the distant horizon, seemingly deep in thought; it was almost like she was looking for something, waiting for something…someone. No one knew who, or what she was searching for except for Lacus herself…and those closest to her: Athrun, and Cagalli Yula Attha. _

_Not a lot of people knew Cagalli had a sibling either, and this was the reason why no one really knew of her brother, Kira; he was the one Lacus was so desperately searching for, the one that was always foremost in her mind…the man she loved._

_Now, as she stood alone in the dark room, her head bent, her long, slender fingers gripping the microphone tightly, Athrun Zala was standing in the next room, right next to the plate-glass window that allowed him to see into the other room, his hands in his pockets, watching her. _

_As the first strains of music began to stream through the speakers, Athrun's green eyes took on a decidedly somber look. It was a sad song; another one. It would seem these kinds of songs were the only ones Lacus ever sang anymore. _

_Sighing softly, Athrun turned around and began to walk towards the door – but the strains from the violins that played in the background made him stop. It was such a sad song…and this song more than any other reminded him of his best-friend…of Kira. He'd always said he wanted to hear Lacus sing to the strains of a violin. "That must mean this song is for him," Athrun thought. _

_Kira…he'd always been shy. In a way, he was just like Lacus. Maybe that was why they'd been so drawn to each other; why it had taken such a long time for them to even realize that they were in love with each other. Athrun smiled a little. Kira was probably the densest person he'd ever known._

_Flashback_

_Sixteen year old Athrun Zala was walking along the tree-lined sidewalk on the way to school with his best-friend, Kira Yamato walking beside him. As they got closer to their destination, Athrun's green eyes started to dart back and forth, scanning the area like a fugitive, making sure none of his fan girls were around to mob him._

_Breathing a sigh of relief, Athrun stopped for a minute to let Kira, who had lagged behind as a precautionary measure, catch up to him._

"_Hey, Athrun…"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Um…are you…do you think…"_

_Athrun sighed. "Out with it, Kira."_

"…_About Lacus…"_

_Athrun grinned. "You like her, don't you?"_

_Kira blushed. "Y-yeah…H-how did you know?"_

_Ignoring his friend's question, Athrun answered with a question of his own. "Why don't you ask her out?"_

"_She might not like me that way. I'm not like you, you know."_

_His friend laughed. "Exactly."_

_Kira frowned. "What do you mean 'exactly'?"_

"_I'm not her type."_

_Kira blinked. "You're not?"_

"_Nope."_

"_How would you know?"_

"_Kira, I've known Lacus since we were eight; I know, alright?" Athrun replied._

"_Ok…I believe you…but…do you know if she likes anyone else?"_

"…_I think she does."_

_Kira's face fell. "Who? Do you know?"_

"_You should probably ask Lacus that." _

"_But…"_

"_Kira, just ask her. I think you'll be surprised."_

"_Alright. I've got nothing to lose, right?" Kira said, smiling a bit shakily._

_Athrun nodded, giving his friend the thumbs-up sign._

_With that, Kira turned around and sprinted away in search of Lacus._

"_Kira's so dense…" Athrun thought, suppressing a chuckle. Lacus liked someone alright; she liked Kira, and everyone knew about it. That is, everyone but the man himself._

_End flashback_

_Athrun smiled softly. Kira found Lacus alright, but he never did ask her; at least not on that day. He told him he chickened out at the last minute. It was a wonder how Kira ever even managed to tell Lacus how he felt!_

_Athrun's smile faded then. Just two months after that, Kira's adoptive parents died after their car skidded off a cliff and he found out about Cagalli. He changed then. Maybe it was just him growing up after a tragedy, or maybe it was just his way of dealing with a loss; whatever the reason, Kira's shy nature was replaced by a slightly less talkative, more assertive one that stayed with him when he disappeared on that night eight months ago._

_That night…it would forever live in infamy. _

_The music started to grow louder as Lacus' voice began to stream through the speakers, pulling Athrun out of his reverie. His eyes widened. "This is…"_

_The moon, it's shining brightly as I walk alone,_

_Lighting the path we walked together,_

_The path I'll walk forever._

_The stars, there are so many,_

_But none of them will bring you back to me…_

_The wind caressing my face…it reminds me,_

_Of your touch, when you told me 'I love you',_

_Words I'll want to hear only from you…_

_The clouds, so pure and beautiful, moving so gently,_

_Like a voice only I can hear, a smile only I can see…_

_Isn't it wonderful, to live the way you chose?_

_To hold that piece of your heart close?_

_I do so want to see you again,_

_In the one place I know I'll find you;_

_My dreams._

"_Lacus…" Athrun whispered, his mind awhirl. The song was for Kira alright, but she was asking him for something as well. She wanted him to take control of his life again, to fight his father's will…to release her._

_The rain, it melts away so much…_

_Tell me, why does it always bring back my pain?_

_The snow, it's so white and cold,_

_So different from the warmth you hold…_

_Isn't it wonderful, to live the way you chose?_

_To hold that piece of your heart close?_

_I do so want to see you again,_

_In the one place I know I'll find you;_

_My dreams._

_I promise you, like you promised me;_

_There will be no end to you and me._

_With Lacus_

_The song's last melody faded, and Lacus Clyne's cheeks were stained with tears. She closed her eyes and leaned against the microphone stand, one word escaping her lips: "Kira."_

_Somewhere else_

_A young woman stood beside the bed of a young man, her eyes scanning the monitors and beeping machines that showed her the vital signs of the young man who lay unconscious on the said bed. It was a hospital, and she was a nurse. _

_She looked over at the young man, and her dark eyes softened. He was such a young boy, too young to have something like this happen to him. When he was brought to this facility, he was on the brink of death. His injuries were consistent with a car accident, but his being found on a beach meant he had either been hit close to the sea or someone had thrown him into it. _

_The door opened behind her, and a man stepped in, a raven-haired little girl in tow. "Good afternoon, Reverend Malchio," the woman greeted._

_The reverend nodded formally before inquiring about the young man he'd brought in on that day eight months before. "No change, unfortunately. We still don't know when, or even if he will wake up."_

"_Alright, thank you."_

"_You're welcome, sir," and with that, she flipped the clipboard she had been holding closed and stepped out of the room. _

"_Himiko-chan, please turn on the radio," the reverend said, and the little girl complied. _

_After doing as she was asked, the little girl pulled up a chair and sat beside the middle-aged man as a slow song began to play and Lacus Clyne's voice filled the room._

_The girl tugged at the older man's sleeve and, when assured that she had his attention asked, very innocently, "Why is this song so sad?"_

_The reverend thought for a moment before replying, "It's sad…because the singer has lost someone dear to her, and she misses him,"_

"_I miss my mommy and daddy…is it the same?" she asked, her gray eyes wide with curiosity._

"_Perhaps," the reverend answered._

_Having acquired her answer, the little girl looked over at the injured young man, and she noticed something. Her face bathed in excitement, she turned to the reverend and once again tugged on his arm. "Reverend!"_

"_What is it, Himiko-chan?"_

"_He moved!"_

"_What?"_

_"I said he moved!"_

_"Call the nurse!"_

_The girl rushed over to the call button on the wall and pressed it, all the while staring at the brown-haired youth who continued to sleep. _

_The nurse came in a minute later. "What happened? Is anything wrong?"_

_"He moved!" the girl said excitedly._

_The nurse walked over to the patient's bedside and checked his pulse, only to have him pull his arm away. He was muttering something under his breath. _

_"It looks like he's coming out of his coma," the nurse said._

_As she said this, the young man's eyes slowly opened, revealing eyes that were a lovely shade of violet. The nurse smiled. "You're finally awake."_

_The young man stared blankly at her, a confused look in his lavender eyes. "Where…am…I? he croaked, his voice hoarse from lack of water. "You're in the hospital," the woman replied._

_The boy frowned. "Who are you? Why am I here?"_

_The woman smiled gently. "I'm Murrue. You were in an accident; don't you remember?"_

_He shook his head. _

_Murrue frowned. "Do you remember your name?"_

_"My…name? I'm…I…I don't know."_

Back to the present

Lacus stared up at her fiancé's face, content for the moment to stay in his embrace, a comfortable silence between them. It had been a long night, and dawn would come soon; that was what they were waiting for.

"What do you think is going to happen now?" Lacus asked softly.

"I don't know. All I know is it's going to be really messy," Kira replied just as softly.

"I'm worried, Kira. Patrick Zala is a very powerful man, with a very long reach. He won't hesitate to use his resources to get what he wants…we might have to go into hiding for a while."

Kira sighed. "I know. I was thinking the same thing."

"Do you have something in mind?"

"I thought we could stay at my parents' old summer house in Orb. It's secluded, and no one really knows about it; we should be safe there for a little while at least."

"Sounds good." she replied before sitting up as the first slivers of light crept into the room. The sun was rising.

Kira sat up as well, drawing Lacus closer and kissing the top of her head as they watched the sun rise ever higher in the early morning sky.

A minute later, their moment of peace was shattered when someone barged into the room. It was Cagalli.

"Don't you ever knock, Cagalli?" Kira asked, annoyed.

"Look, I'm sorry, alright? I've got something important to tell you," the blonde replied, a little out of breath.

"What is it, Cagalli?" Lacus asked, a hint of worry in her eyes.

"Patrick Zala is dead…murdered…and he has left Rau La Creuset in charge of everything."

A/n: That's it for chapter 9! So, what do you think, bad, good…? Read and review, please? Thanks! Oh, and that song…I wrote the lyrics myself, inspired by Rikki's Suteki Da Ne and Kotani Kinya's Anti-Nostalgic. The song is to the tune of Rikki's Suteki Da Ne, 'Isn't It Wonderful' in English.


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